Provision of location dependent services without revealing the user identity via a mobile telecommunications network

ABSTRACT

Application service providers (ASP 1 , ASP 2  . . . ) are linked to a mobile telecommunications network (N), such as a cellular telecommunications network, for providing services such as information-providing services to users (MS 1 , MS 2 , MS 3  . . . ) in the network. For example, one service provider (ASP 1 ) may, on request from a user, provide the address of or directions to the user&#39;s nearest pizza outlet. The user&#39;s request is intercepted by the network which generates a “user tag” identifying the user, the service provider to whom the request is directed, and the time and date of the request. The network stores the information in the user tag, encodes it and transmits it to the service provider in a form from which the service provider is unable to access the user or obtain the user&#39;s identity. The service provider then requests the current location of the user from the network using the user tag to identify the user to the network. The network transmits the user&#39;s location to the service provider in association with the user tag and the service provider responds by transmitting back to the network the information required by the user (the address of or directions to the user&#39;s nearest pizza outlet), again in association with the user tag. The network passes the information to the user. Finally, the service provider requests the network to levy a charge against the user, again using the user tag so that the network can identify the particular user. In this way, information identifying the user is never provided to the service provider who cannot therefore directly access the user either during the session or subsequently. The user tag may have a predetermined short lifetime to provide further security.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a method by which a service provider provides aservice to a user in a mobile telecommunications network in response toa request for the service by that user, in which the network generates arequest signal in response to the user request, the network transmitsthe request signal to the service provider, and the service providerprovides the service to the user via the network and using the requestsignal.

The invention also relates to a mobile telecommunications network,comprising means responsive to a request by a user in the network for aninformational response service to be provided by a service providerknown to the network for at least temporarily storing the identity ofthe particular user making the request, and means for transmitting arequest signal to the service provider which corresponds to the requestby that particular user.

The invention further relates to a system, comprising a mobilecommunications network and at least one service provider capable ofproviding a service to a user in the network in response to a requestfor the service by that user, including means in the network forgenerating a request signal in response to the user request, means fortransmitting the request signal to the service provider, means in thenetwork for receiving information relating to the service from theservice provider in association with the request signal, and means inthe network responsive to the request signal to provide the informationto the user.

Systems and methods according to the invention, to be described in moredetail below by way of example only, enable application serviceproviders to provide services to users in a mobile telecommunicationsnetwork such as a cellular telephone network.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, the method as first set forth above ischaracterised in that the request signal includes identity informationwhich identifies the user to the network but provides no information tothe service provider which enables the service provider to directlyaccess the user.

According to the invention, also, the network as first set forth aboveis characterised in that the request signal does not enable directaccess by the service provider to that user, and by means for receivingthe informational response from the service provider in association withthe request signal for directing the informational response to theparticular user.

According to the invention, further, the system as first set forth aboveis characterised in that the request signal includes identityinformation which identifies the user to the network but provides noinformation to the service provider which enables the service providerto directly access the user.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Systems and methods according to the invention for providing services tousers in a cellular telephone network will now be described by way ofexample only and with reference to the accompanying diagrammaticdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 shows such a network; and

FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing operations taking place in the network.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a cellular telecommunications network N in which arelocated users having respective mobile telephone handsets or mobilestations MS1, MS2, MS3, MS4 . . . . The network N may be a GSM or 3G(Third Generation) network or similar network. FIG. 1 also shows anumber of application service providers ASP1, ASP2, ASP3, ASP4, ASP5 . .. . The application service providers provide various services to usersin the network N. The services offered by the ASPs may be of varioustypes. For example, they may be of the “subscription” or“non-subscription” type. A subscription-type service might be, forexample, a traffic information service to which a particular usersubscribes, paying an annual or monthly subscription fee, automaticallybeing provided with periodic or irregular information concerning roadtraffic conditions relevant to the location of the user's vehicle at anytime. Other examples of subscription-type services are the provision ofnews information, sports information, financial information and weatherinformation. Subscription-type services therefore provide services on anon-going basis to subscribing users.

A non-subscription-type service provides a single service to a user,normally on a commercial basis and for a single payment. Such a servicemay in particular be dependent on the user's current location. Oneexample of such a non-subscription-type service is a service provided by(or on behalf of) a chain of fast food (e.g pizza) outlets distributedgeographically over all or part of the area covered by the network N.Using this service, a user, in response to a specific real time request,can be provided by the relevant ASP (e.g. ASP1) with directions to orthe address of the outlet nearest to the user's current location. Forthe provision of this information, ASP1 will make a (normally small)charge. The charge could be debited directly to the user. Instead, in acase where ASP1 is providing the service for the chain of pizza outlets,the charge might be debited to that chain in the form of an“introduction fee” for introducing that user to the particular outlet.Such charges may be debited by the network on behalf of the ASP.

The system and method to be described in more detail below areparticularly concerned with non-subscription-type services—such as theexample given above where a user in the network N wishes to ask ASP1 fordirections to or the location of the nearest pizza outlet. Obviously,though, the system and method can provide other non-subscription-typeservices.

The system and method to be described are intended to deal with certainproblems or potential problems:—

-   -   (a) ASP1 needs to know the location of the user, in order to be        able to accede to the user's request for directions to or the        location of the nearest pizza outlet. The operator of the        network N has this information—but it of course has value or        potential value and the network operator will therefore not wish        to disclose it freely to ASP1.    -   (b) If the system and method are arranged so that the user makes        a telephone call direct to ASP1, the user's CLI (calling line        identifier, or telephone number) will normally be disclosed to        ASP1. ASP1 can then correspond directly with the user and obtain        the user's location. The valuable information, concerning user's        telephone number and location, as known to the network operator,        will then have been directly and freely disclosed to ASP1        without recompense to the network operator (apart, of course,        from the cost of the telephone call).    -   (c) If the user's telephone number becomes disclosed to ASP1,        the ASP will be able to use this information in future to make        direct calls to the user, offering the pizza service (or other        services), thus detrimentally by-passing the network operator.    -   (d) It is of major importance that the network operator (and        other parties in the system) respect data protection and privacy        laws and regulations. Thus, these may be breached by unsolicited        advertising calls to the user (e.g. by the ASP if the ASP gains        knowledge of the user's telephone number) or by disclosure of        the user's identity, or identity combined with location, of the        user. Mere disclosure to the ASP of the user's location, without        identifying the user in a manner enabling the ASP to make direct        access to the user, will not breach such laws or regulations.

The system and method will now be described in more detail withreference to FIG. 2 which represents a flow chart of the operationstaking place.

At A, a user initiates a request to ASP1 for (in this example) theaddress of, or the directions to, the nearest pizza outlet. At step B,this request is received by the network N. It is not transmitteddirectly to ASP1 but recognised as being intended for ASP1.

At step C, the network responds to the user's request by generating arequest signal or “user tag”. The user tag comprises at least fourcomponents: (i) an identification of the user; (ii) an identification ofthe ASP which is to be involved in the transaction (ASP1 in this case);(iii) the time and date of the user's request; and (iv) informationrelating to the actual connection (mode, format etc.). In connectionwith (iv), a “session” between a user and ASP may consist of manycomponents. There could be several layers of activity going on in onesession, which all may require different billing/auditing. Hence thespecifies of the connection will identify the unique aspects of thesession. It is an important feature of the user tag that it is encodedor encrypted in a suitable way (discussed below in more detail) so thatthe information which it contains is not accessible by the ASP though itcan be distinguished by the ASP from user tags relating to other userrequests; thus for example, the user tag may comprise a multi-digitnumber or have alphanumeric or any other suitable form. The informationwhich it contains or represents remains accessible by the networkoperator.

At step D, the network passes the user tag to ASP1 which recognises itas representing a request from a user for the address of or directionsto the user's nearest pizza outlet. ASP1 does not of course receive anyinformation about the user or the user's location (except that it isimplicit that the user is within the area covered by the network N).

If ASP1's system is currently operative, the ASP will at step E requestinformation about the user's location from the network N, using the usertag as a means of relating this request to the particular user.

At step F, the network responds to this request by providing thelocation of the user to ASP1—that is, by defining the geographical areain which the user is currently present. The network knows which user isconcerned because it derives this information from the user tag. This isthe only information which the network will provide; no informationidentifying the user or the user's telephone number is provided.

At step G, ASP1 responds to receipt of the information about the user'slocation by generating the requested information (the address of ordirections to the nearest pizza outlet). Alternatively, it may be thatthere is no pizza outlet within reasonable distance of the user'slocation, and information to that effect will instead be generated. Atstep H, the ASP passes this information back to the network N. At stepI, the network transmits this information to the user. Thus, ASP1 has nodirect communication with the user and does not need to know the user'stelephone number (or identity).

At step J the user then acts in accordance with the address/directionsprovided.

At step K, ASP1 then requests the network operator to levy a chargeagainst the user, for the provision of the service. ASP1 will again usethe user tag during this process so that the network operator canidentify the user and levy the charge accordingly (step L). The chargecan be levied by debiting the user's call charge log (if the user is acontract customer) or placing a debit against the user's pre-paid creditif the user is a pre-pay customer.

In accordance with an important feature of the user tag, it is providedwith a finite lifetime appropriate to the maximum time likely to beinvolved in the provision of the service (e.g. 30 minutes in this case).This lifetime prevents the ASP from attempting to make further contactswith the user (via the network operator) with a view to selling furtherservices. The provision of this finite lifetime for the user tagprovides further protection for the user's privacy and for the user datastored by the network operator. Because the user tag incorporatesinformation identifying the particular-ASP, it protects againstfraudulent attempts by another ASP to make contact with the user.

The user tag can be protected in any suitable way. For example, it couldbe produced in the form of a random multi-digit number which is storedby the network operator in a database in association with the specificfour components of the user tag. Instead, the user tag could begenerated by the network operator and then encrypted using the networkoperator's public key in a public/private key system. Other suitablemethods of coding or encrypting or otherwise protecting the informationin the user tag can be used.

The user can be used to perform an auditing function. The networkoperator will have a complete record of the transactions and servicesrequested and delivered. This is clearly relevant to billing but canalso be used for marketing and data analysis purposes (e.g. which is themost popular ASP etc.).

It is important to note that the system described is not restricted tolocation-dependent services. For example, a user could order a ring tonefrom an ASP. The ASP provider can then deliver the ring tone directly tothe user's mobile without needing to know the mobile number (by usingthe user tag in the manner explained). In addition, information notrelated to location can be delivered directly to a user using the usertag in the manner explained (e.g. share prices).

1. A method by which a service provider provides a service to a user ina mobile telecommunications network in response to a request for theservice by that user, in which the network generates a request signal inresponse to the a user request, the network transmits the request signalto the service provider, and the service provider provides the serviceto the user via the network and using the request signal, the requestsignal including identity information which identifies the user to thenetwork but provides no information to the service provider whichenables the service provider to directly access the user, wherein therequest signal includes data allowing the request signal to bedistinguished by the service provider from request signals relating toother requests, and in that the request signal is only effective for theservice provider for a length of time which is dependent on the a lengthof time for providing the service.
 2. A method according to claim 1,wherein the provision of the service by the service provider requiresthat the service provider has location information specifying a locationof the user, and in which the service provider uses the request signalto obtain that location information from the network operator.
 3. Amethod according to claim 2, wherein the service provider transmits therequest signal to the network and the network (N) uses the requestsignal and the identity information therein to derive the locationinformation and transmits that location information to the serviceprovider in association with the request signal.
 4. A method accordingto claim 1, wherein the service provider uses the request signal torequest generation of charging information by the network for theprovision of the service.
 5. A method according to claim 4, wherein thenetwork uses the request signal to identify the user in relation towhich a charge is to be generated.
 6. A method according to claim 1,wherein the request signal is only effective for the service providerfor a predetermined length of time.
 7. A method according to claim 1,wherein the request signal identifies the service provider and a time ofthe request to the network.
 8. A method according to claim 1, whereinthe request signal identifies a position in a database from which thenetwork can extract the identity information.
 9. A method according toclaims 1, wherein the request signal is encrypted before receipt by theservice provider.
 10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the serviceprovided by the service provider is a provision of information.
 11. Amobile telecommunications network, comprising means responsive to arequest by a user in the network for an informational response serviceto be provided by a service provider known to the network for at leasttemporarily storing the an identity of the particular user making therequest; and means for transmitting a request signal to the serviceprovider which corresponds to the request by that particular user, whichrequest signal does not enable direct access by the service provider tothat user; and means for receiving the informational response servicefrom the service provider in association with the request signal fordirecting the informational response to the particular user; wherein therequest signal includes data allowing the request signal to bedistinguished by the service provider from request signals relating toother requests, and in that the request signal is only effective for theservice provider for a length of time which is dependent on a length oftime for providing the service.
 12. (canceled)
 13. A network accordingto claim 11, wherein the provision of the service by the serviceprovider requires that the service provider has location informationspecifying a location of the user, and in which the service provideruses the request signal to obtain that location information from thenetwork.
 14. A network according to claim 13, wherein the serviceprovider transmits the request signal to the network and the networkuses the request signal and the identity information therein to derivethe location information and transmits that location and identityinformation to the service provider in association with the requestsignal.
 15. A network according to any one of claims 11, wherein theservice provider uses the request signal to request generation ofcharging information by the network for the provision of the service.16. A network according to claim 15, wherein the network uses therequest signal to identify the user in relation to which the charge isto be generated.
 17. A network or system according to any one of claims11, wherein the request signal is only effective for the serviceprovider for a predetermined length of time.
 18. A network according toany one of claims 11, wherein the request signal identifies the serviceprovider and a time of the request to the network.
 19. A networkaccording to claim 11, wherein the request signal identifies a positionin a database from which the network can extract identity information.20. A network according to claim 11, wherein the request signal isencrypted before receipt by the service provider.
 21. (canceled)
 22. Asystem, comprising a mobile communications network and at least oneservice provider capable of providing a service to a user in the networkin response to a user request for a service by that user, includingmeans in the network for generating a request signal in response to theuser request, which request signal includes identity information whichidentifies the user to the network but provides no information to theservice provider which enables the service provider to directly accessthe user; means for transmitting the request signal to the serviceprovider; means in the network for receiving information relating to theservice from the service provider in association with the requestsignal; and means in the network responsive to the request signal toprovide the information relating to the service to the user; wherein therequest signal includes data allowing it to be distinguished by theservice provider from request signals relating to other requests, and inthat the request signal is only effective for the service provider for alength of time which is dependent on a length of time for providing theservice.
 23. A system according to claim 22, wherein providing theservice by the service provider requires that the service provider haslocation information specifying the a location of the user, and in whichthe service provider uses the request signal to obtain that relatedlocation information from the network.
 24. A system according to claim23, wherein the service provider transmits the request signal to thenetwork and the network uses the request signal and the identityinformation therein to derive the location information and transmitsthat location information to the service provider in association withthe request signal.
 25. A system according to claim 22, wherein theservice provider uses the request signal to request generation ofcharging information by the network for providing the service.
 26. Asystem according to claim 24, wherein the network uses the requestsignal to identify the user in relation to which a charge is to begenerated.
 27. A system according to claim 22, wherein the requestsignal is only effective for the service provider for a predeterminedlength of time.
 28. A system according to claim 22, wherein the requestsignal identifies the service provider and the time of the request tothe network.
 29. A system according to claim 22, wherein the requestsignal identifies a position in a database from which the network canextract the identity information.
 30. A system according to claim 22,wherein the request signal is encrypted before receipt by the serviceprovider.